How long before diarrhea becomes dangerous

Diarrhea is a fairly common condition and is characterized by loose, watery bowel movements. It is often referred to, colloquially, as the stomach flu or intestinal flu. Diarrhea, however, isn’t defined as a single occurrence of loose, watery stools, but is instead the experience of this condition three or more times over the course of one day. Diarrhea can either be acute or chronic in nature.

Acute diarrhea

Acute diarrhea occurs when the condition lasts for one to two days and is the result of an infection, either bacterial or viral or is the result of an infection or possible food poisoning

Chronic diarrhea

Chronic diarrhea refers to diarrhea that lasts for at least four weeks. It is usually the result of a digestive disorder, such as celiac disease or Crohn’s disease

Common causes of diarrhea

Some common causes of diarrhea, whether chronic or acute include the following:

Food allergies 

Food intolerance

Bad reaction to medication Viral infection

Bacterial infection Intestinal disease

Gallbladder or stomach surgery Diabetes

Alcohol abuse Laxative abuse

Trouble absorbing certain nutrients Bacteria from contaminated water Viruses

Common symptoms of diarrhea

In considering when or whether to seek medical care, it is important to be cognizant of the symptoms of diarrhea. A few common symptoms include:

Cramps Watery Stools

Nausea and vomiting

An urgent feeling to have a bowel movement Loss of bowel control

Blood in the stool Mucus in the stool

When is diarrhea considered dangerous?

Generally speaking, diarrhea is a common occurrence, but for some people, diarrhea may become dangerous. It is imperative to know when it is time for you to seek medical attention.

Diarrhea that lasts more than two to three days is automatically suspect, because that is the standard course of regular diarrhea. If your bout of diarrhea lasts longer than that, it is time to seek medical care.

Symptoms of severe diarrhea

If you experience any of the following symptoms, you should contact a qualified gastroenterologist immediately:

Severe abdominal pain Blood in your stools

Black, tar-like consistency in your stools A fever in excess of 101.3F

Signs of dehydration

Six or more loose stools in 24 hours

Severe abdominal or rectal pain Signs of dehydration

One of the most dangerous side effects of diarrhea is dehydration, leaving your body without any of the fluids it needs to work properly.

Possible treatments

For most types of diarrhea, those which typically resolve on its own, the treatment is nominal. For more severe cases, your physician will attempt to determine the cause and treat it.

In either case, it is important to stay hydrated. Dehydration can be life-threatening if left untreated. There are several different treatments for diarrhea.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics help treat diarrhea that is caused by bacteria

Fluid replacement

It is advisable to replace the fluids and salts lost to diarrhea. Some people can tolerate drinking water or broth. Some people can replace those fluids and salts by consuming drinks, especially sports drinks, containing electrolytes. Other people may need IV fluids to get more immediate results.

Treat underlying conditions

For some people, diarrhea is the cause of a more serious condition, much as an inflammatory bowel disease in cases of these, your doctor will work with you to address the underlying condition.

If you are experiencing severe diarrhea, please give our office a call. As a team of experienced gastroenterologists, with three offices located across Miami, GastroMed would be delighted to work with you to get you back into good health. We have the experience, expertise, and compassion to help you achieve your health goals. Please call us today at the location of your choice.

Diarrhoea will usually clear up without treatment after a few days, particularly if it's caused by an infection.

In children, diarrhoea will usually pass within 5 to 7 days and will rarely last longer than 2 weeks.

In adults, diarrhoea usually improves within 2 to 4 days, although some infections can last a week or more.

While waiting for your diarrhoea to pass, you can ease your symptoms by following the advice outlined below.

Drink fluids

It's important to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration, particularly if you're also vomiting. Take small, frequent sips of water.

Ideally, adults should drink a lot of liquids that contain water, salt, and sugar. Examples are water mixed with juice and soup broth. If you're drinking enough fluid, your urine will be light yellow or almost clear.

It's also very important for babies and small children not to become dehydrated. Give your child frequent sips of water, even if they are vomiting. A small amount is better than none. 

Fruit juice or fizzy drinks should be avoided as they can make diarrhoea worse in children.

If you're breastfeeding or bottle feeding your baby and they have diarrhoea, you should continue to feed them as normal.

Contact your GP immediately if you or your child develop any symptoms of dehydration.

Oral rehydration solutions

Your GP or pharmacist may suggest using an oral rehydration solution (ORS) to prevent dehydration if you're at risk – for example, if you're frail or elderly. ORS can also be used to treat dehydration that has already occurred.

Rehydration solutions usually come in sachets available from your local pharmacist without a prescription. They are dissolved in water and replace salt, glucose, and other important minerals that are lost if you are dehydrated.

Children

Your GP or pharmacist may recommend giving your child an ORS if they are dehydrated or at risk of becoming dehydrated.

The usual recommendation is for your child to drink an ORS each time they have an episode of diarrhoea. The amount they should drink will depend on their size and weight.

Your pharmacist can advise you about this. The manufacturer's instructions should also give information about the recommended dose.

You may be able to give your baby an ORS if they become dehydrated, but check with your GP, pharmacist, or health visitor first.

Eating

Opinion is divided over when and what you should eat if you have diarrhoea. However, most experts agree you should eat solid food as soon as you feel able to. Eat small, light meals and avoid fatty or spicy foods.

Good examples are potatoes, rice, bananas, soup, and boiled vegetables. Salty foods help the most.

You don't need to eat if you've lost your appetite, but you should continue to drink fluids and eat as soon as you feel able to.

Children

If your child is dehydrated, do not give them any solid food until they have drunk enough fluids. Once they have stopped showing signs of dehydration, they can start eating their normal diet.

If your child is not dehydrated, offer them their normal diet. If they refuse to eat, continue to give them fluids and wait until their appetite returns.

Medication

Antidiarrhoeal medicines

Antidiarrhoeal medicines may help reduce your diarrhoea and slightly shorten how long it lasts. However, they're not usually necessary.

Loperamide is the main antidiarrhoeal medicine used, as it has been shown to be effective and causes few side effects.

Loperamide slows down the muscle movements in your gut so more water is absorbed from your stools. This makes your stools firmer and they're passed less frequently.

An alternative to loperamide is a different type of antidiarrhoeal medicine called racecadotril, which works by reducing the amount of water produced by the small intestine. Evidence suggests this medication may be as effective as loperamide for treating diarrhoea.

Some antidiarrhoeal medicines can be bought from a pharmacy without a prescription. Check the patient information leaflet that comes with the medicine to find out whether it's suitable for you and what dose you should take. Ask your pharmacist for advice if you're unsure.

Do not take antidiarrhoeal medicines if there is blood or mucus in your stools or you have a high temperature (fever). Instead, you should contact your GP for advice.

Most antidiarrhoeal medicines should not be given to children. Racecadotril can be used in children over 3 months old if it's combined with oral rehydration and the other measures mentioned above, although not all doctors recommend it.

Painkillers

Painkillers will not treat diarrhoea, but paracetamol or ibuprofen can help relieve a fever and a headache. If necessary, you can give your child liquid paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Always read the patient information leaflet that comes with the medication to check if it's suitable for you or your child and find out the correct dose. Children under 16 years of age should not be given aspirin.

Antibiotics

Treatment with antibiotics is not recommended for diarrhoea if the cause is unknown. This is because antibiotics:

• will not work if the diarrhoea is caused by a virus 
• can cause unpleasant side effects 
• can become less effective at treating more serious conditions if they're repeatedly used to treat mild conditions

Antibiotics may be recommended if you have severe diarrhoea and a specific type of bacteria has been identified as the cause.

They may also be used if you have an underlying health problem, such as a weakened immune system.

Hospital treatment 

Occasionally, hospital treatment may be needed if you or your child are seriously dehydrated. Treatment will involve administering fluids and nutrients directly into a vein (intravenously).

Treating the underlying cause

If you've been diagnosed with a specific condition that's causing your diarrhoea, treating this may help improve your symptoms.

For example:

• irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can be treated with changes to your diet and medications – read more about managing IBS
• inflammatory bowel disease can be treated with medications that help reduce inflammation in the bowel
• coeliac disease can be treated by excluding foods containing gluten from your diet – read more about treating coeliac disease
• bile acid malabsorption can be treated with medication that helps stop bile building up in the digestive system

Read more about common causes of diarrhoea.